Winnie Odinga Almost Breaks Down in Tears After Reading Details Inside a Letter Her Father Wrote

Winnie Odinga has emotionally opened up about personal files she recently discovered belonging to her late father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, during his years in political detention.

Winnie shared the details while reflecting on her father’s life and legacy during events linked to the Nairobi International Book Fair, where Raila was posthumously inducted into the Kenya Publishers Association Hall of Fame.

According to Winnie, she recently came across one of Raila’s files from his time in detention. The file contained correspondence from the period when he was separated from his family.

She said the letters gave her a deeper look into the difficult years her father spent away from his children.

Raila was detained during the struggle for multiparty democracy in Kenya. Winnie recalled that communication between her father and the family was difficult, with some letters taking months to reach them.

The discovery has added a personal side to the story of Raila’s political journey, which has often been told through elections, protests, arrests and his long fight for political change.

Winnie also revealed that she and her father had worked together on a memoir. The book, The Flame of Freedom, has since become an important part of efforts to preserve his own account of his life and political experiences.

Speaking about the value of the written word, Winnie said books allow people to hear the thoughts of someone who is no longer alive.

She explained that reading her father’s writings gives her a feeling of reconnecting with him even after his death.

Raila died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, after spending more than four decades in Kenya’s political life.

Winnie has continued to speak about his legacy, especially his experiences during detention, the struggle for democracy and the lessons he passed to his children.

The latest revelations have renewed attention on Raila’s personal writings as Kenyans continue to remember his political journey and contribution to the country.

For Winnie, the letters are more than old documents. They offer a personal connection to a difficult period of her father’s life that she experienced as a child.

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